I think your right about it being a butchered deer that a dog dragged off. It looks sawed off to me? I normally cut around the joint tendons to separate from the meaty part of the leg, and throw to my dogs, but people saw that part off also and discard it as theres no meat on there. As far as the zip ties i don't know as we put the tag on the ear or antler in WI. Maybe in your state they zip tie the tag to the leg?